Water-column



No. 626,226. Patented lune 6, |899.

w. s. ELLloTT. WATER COLUMN.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1896.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR 5 m i... J E

UNirnD STATES PATENT FFICE.

VILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-COLUMN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,226, dated June 6, 1899- Application led November 12, 1896. Serial No. 611,915. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Water-Columns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in whichi Figure 1 is a central vertical section, partially in elevation, of a water column and gage constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, the lower index-tube and blow-off pipe being broken away. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View, on an enlarged scale, of the alarm-valve. Fig. 4. is a similar View in a different position. Fig. 5 is a det-ail sectional View showing an arrangement of blow-o pipe surrounding the connecting-pipe leading to the lower index-tube, the float occupying a lowered position. Fig. G is a cross-sectional View of the valve at the top of the lowerindex-tube, taken on the line VI VI of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the valve closed.

My invention consists of a combined water column and gage and the various features and adjuncts thereof, and is designed to be used to indicate the water-level in boilers that are too high to permit the ordinary water-gages to be read from the ground. To the end ofv obviating such difficulty I employ a secondary water-gage index-tube located ataconvenient distance below the water-line of the boiler and within easy reach of the observer, and within such tube is contained the end of a rod which is so connected with a iioat as to indicate in the lower tube the relative height of the water in conformity with variations of the float.

The invention also consists in other details of construction, as shall be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, 2 is the shell of a boiler, connected to which are the lower and upper pipes 3 4, communicating with and supporting the iioat-chamber 5. This chamber is Iianged at the bottom and top alike, so that, if desired, as in the case of locating the gagecocks on the right or left side, the chamber may be reversed and used in either position equally well. Mounted on one side, at the center (which corresponds to the normal water-line a) and equidistant above and below, are the gage-cocks 6. Upon the outside, with the usual connections above and below the water-line, is the customary water-index tube 7, provided with the ordinary valve and petcock, the purpose of such gage being to determine the level of the water thereby and verify the action of the secondary gage in setting up the column. If desired, this index-tube 7 may be dispensed with, as it is not essential to the operation of the other parts of the device and is shown simply as a convenient auxiliary.

An index-tube Sis connected to and suspended from the base of the float-chamber at any desired level within easy reach of observation from the ground, a connecting-pipe 9 of suitable length being employed, although it is obvious that such pipe may be dispensed with and the index-tube connected directly to the base of the float-chamber, if desired.

Within the chamber 5 is a float 10, designed to rise and fall with variations in the height of the water contained in the chamber 5, and suspended from such float by means of a stem, wire, chain, or other suitable connection 16 is an indicating-point 11, so adjusted that it will occupya position in the index-tube 8 corresponding to the position of the water-level in the Heat-chamber and by reason of its connection with the float will rise or fall in conformitywith the rise or fall of the water therein and accurately indicate suchlevelin the tube S. Suitable level-indicating points 12 may be attached to the rods of the indextube to facilitate the reading of the gage.

Seated upon the top of an upwardly-extending hollow sleeve 13 is a cap 14., having a reduced orifice 15, but slightly larger than the connection 16, which passes downwardly therethrough, and a valve-seat 17 on its upper face.

The cap 14 may, if desired, be in the form of a plug, or the top of the sleeve 13 may be similarly constructed. A check-valve 1,8, secured to the bottom of the lioat, or, if desired, to the connection 16, is arranged in line with the valve-seat 17, so that in case for any reason-as, for instance, in case of breakage in the index-tube S-the iioat should fall suffi- IOO ciently far the valve will scat itselt and close the opening against escape of wateror steam. The location of the check-valve 18 may be varied; but it should always occupy a posil the cap `14 and closing` access to the indextube. This construction is'of advantage in securing compactness and freedom from unequal expansion and contraction. A valve 19 is located at the top of the index-tube 8, having a gate 20, by which communication between the column and the tube may be closed, and I have provided in the fixed and movable parts of such Valve grooves 21 for clearance of the connection 16 and by which it may be grasped and held stationary in closing the Valve. It will be understood that the valve 19- may be located at any position between the iioat-chamber and the index-tube.

ingsediment from the chamber is attached to the float-chamber, preferably by a pipe 23, and for convenience of construction I have joined such'ppe to the index-tube by intervening joints 24, although it will be understood that the blow-off valve may be secured directly to the float-chamber and in any otherl At its top the floatconvenie'nt location. chamber is furnished witha removable eX- tended top portion 23', in one side of whichv is mounted an alarm-valve casing 24', providedw-ith a valve-seat 25, an opening leading to an alarm 26, and a check-valve 2-7, mounted on a stem 28, projecting down ward-ly throng/h the casing-botto1n29 and surrounded by-a coiled pressure-spring 30. Hinged to one sideof the bottom 29 is a gate 3l, tothe other side of which is similarly hinged a lever 32, a forked extension of which embraces an upwardly-extending stem 33 from the float 10. Upon this stem are adjustably secured the upper and lower stops 34 35, so arranged as to` depress or raise the lever 32 when the stops come into contact with it, due to` excessive fall orrise-o-f the float 10 on account of low ory high water in the boiler. The valvestern passes downwardly through openings in the gate 31 and lever 32 and is provided with a head or button 36, by which a downward pull will be exerted o n the valve-stein by either motion of the lever 32, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Under action of the coiled spring 30 the valve will always seat itself, cutting oft communication to the alarm 26 and returning the gate and lever to normal position when pressure of the stops'is released. Changes maybe made in the design 'and location of the alarm-valve and lever to suit varying circumstances, and such necessary changes are` not tol be consideredv as departures from my invention. l

I have shown the float-chamber provided with an offset at the top for the alarm-valve and a similar oiiset atthe bottom for the location of the blow-od pipe, as by so construct' ing the float-chamber its ends are in duplicate,

, whereby it may be reversed if necessary, ac-

cording to the desired position of the gagecocks, right or left.

Changes and modifications may be made in the design and construction of my invention without departing therefrom, as I do not de- ,sire to be limited to the exact construction shown and described,v but to include any and all desirable equivalents therefor.

I-Iaving described myinvention and in what manner it is constructed-and operated,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1`. The combination of a iioat and stein or the like, an index-tube into which the stem extends, and a holding device for the stem consisting of a horizontallymovable grip adapted to engage the stem and a stationary 'seat against which the stem is held by such grip, substantially as set forth. A blow-off valve 22 for the purpose of clean- 2. The combination of a ioat and stem or the like, an index-tube below the oat into which the stern extends, and a holding device for the stem consisting of a horizon tallyi movable gripV adapted to engagethe stem and a stationary seat againstwhich the stem is held by such grip, substantially as set forth. 3. The combination of a lioat and stem or .the like, an index-tube'into which the4 stem extends, and a holding device for the stem consisting of a fixedl recessed bearing and a recessed horizontally-movable gate adapted to bear upon the stem and hold it against movement and to close the passage, substantially as set forth.

4. In a water-column provided with a tloatcharnber and fioat carrying a valve, and a laterally-movable valve-seat mounted on a pipe-like extension in the base of the floatchamber; an index-tubebelowthe Iioat-cham.- ber and connected therewith, a stem. or the like extending from` the float into the. indextube and a grip-valve adapted to close the spacearound the stein and to grip. the stemV and hold it frolnlongitudinal movement, substantially as set forth. y

5. In a water-column provided with a Iioatchamber and ioat carrying a valve: an indextube below the heat-chamber and connected ICO IIO

therewith, a stem or the like extending froml the float into the index-tube and a laterallymovable cap above the index-tube having on its upper face avalve-seat adapted to.r receive the valve and an upward pipe-like extension on which the cap. is set, substantially as set forth.

6.---In combination. with a float-chamber provided witha doat having an upwardly-extending-stem, with upper and -lower stops thereon; a check-valve and its stem mounted in one side ot' the float-chamber, an alarm outside of the chamber in communication with the check-valve, a hinged gaie at thek base of the check-valve and a lever hinged to the gate and extendinginto the path of the upper and lower stops, substantially as set forth.

7. In a water-column provided with a floatchamber and float carrying a valve: an indextube below the float-chamber and connected therewith, a stem or the like extending from the iioat into the index-tube and an upward pipe-like extension of the base of the floatchamber surrounding the stem and adapted to be closed by the valve of the float, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination of a float-chamber having flanged upper and lowerends, an extended tapering chamber at the top and an extended chamber having a lateral olfset at the bottom, secured to the ilanges, boiler connections to the lower base of the float-chamber and to the top of the upper extended chamber respectively, an index-tube alongside of the float-chamber having connections therewith at top and bottom inside the flanges, a secondary index-tube located below the iioat- 1 chamber and connected with the lower ex- LII tended chamber, a float within the floatchamber, an indicator within the secondary index-tube with an intervening` connection, an upwardly-extending reduced passage leading into the float-chamber and a sliding cap covering said passage, having a red uced opening embracing the indicator connection, substantially as set forth.

9. A water-column comprising a float-chamber having flanged upper and lower ends, an

, extended tapering chamber at the top and an extended chamber having' a lateral offset at the bottom, secured to the flanges, boiler connections to the lower base of the oat-chamber and to the top of the upper extended chamber respectively, an index-tube alongside of the float-chamber having connections therewith at top and bottom inside the flanges, a secondary index-tube located below the float-chamber and connected with the lower extended chamber, a float within the floatchamber, an indicator within the secondary index-tube with an intervening connection and a cap having a reduced opening embracing the indicator connection, seated upon the top of an upwardly-extending reduced passage leading into the float-chamber and covering said passage, such cap having a Valveseat for a valve attached to the base of the float, substantially as set forth.

l0. In combination with a float-chamber having flanged upper and lower ends, an extended chamber at the bottom andan extended chamber with a lateral offset at the top, respectively, secured to the flanges, boiler connections lo the lower base of the floatchamber and to the top of the upper extended chamber respectively, an index-tube alongside of the float-chamber having connections therewith at top and bottom inside the flanges, a secondary index-tube located below the float-chamber and connected with the lower extended chamber, a float within the chamber, an indicator within the secondary indextube and an intervening connection; a checkvalve and its stem mounted in the lateral offset in the upper extended chamber, an alarm outside of such upper chamber in communication with the check-valve, a hinged gate at the base of the check-valve and a lever hinged to the gate and extending into the path of upper and lower stops secured to an upwardlyextending stem attached to the float, substantiall y as set forth.

l1. In combination with a float-chamber having flanged upper and lower ends, an extended chamber at the bottom and an extended chamber with a lateral offset at the top respectively, secured to the flanges, boiler connections to the lower base of the floatchamber and to the top of the upper extended chamber respectively, an index-tube alongside of the float-chamber having connections therewith at top and bottom inside the flanges, a secondary index-tube located below the float-chamber and connected with the lower extended chamber, a float within the chamber, an indicator within the secondary indextube and an intervening connection; a checkvalve and its stem mounted in the lateral olfset in the upper extended chamber, an alarm outside of such upper chamber in communication with the check-valve, a steam-passage leading from the interior of the upper extended chamber through the check-valve to the alarm,a stein passing through the valve-chamber, a coiled spring surrounding the valvestem, a hinged gate at the base of the checkvalve, a lever hinged to the gate engaging the end of the valve-stem and projecting into the path of upper and lower stops secured to an upwardly-extending stem attached to the float, substantially as set forth.

l2. In combination with a float-chamber, boiler connections thereto at top and bottom, a `float within the chamber, a secondary index-tube located below the float-chamber and connected therewith, a connection extending downwardly from the float to within the index-tube and provided at its end with an indicator and a blow-off pipe connected to the float-chamber provided with a valve; a valve located between the float-chamber and the secondary index-tube adapted to close the communicating opening and to arrest t-he connection and provided with a lateral extension embracing the blow-off pipe and a lateral extension from the bottom of the index-tube frame embracing the blow-off pipe loosely so as to provide for expansion and contraction of said pipe, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of afloat-chamber provided with flanged upper and lower ends, upper and lower extended chambers secured thereto pro vided with lateral offsets conforming to corresponding offsets on the float-chamber flanges, an index-tube located alongside of the float-chamber and having connections ICO IIO

thereto ab topand bottom, boiler connections In testimony whereof I have hereunto set to thebase of the 11cm-chamber and top of my hand this 8th day of October, 1896. one of theextended chambers respectively and gage-cocks secured to the float-chamber 5 eentrally'of its length and equidistanton each Witnesses:

side of aeentmilay-loeated middle cock, sub- PETER J. EDWARDS, stantimiyas seb forth. G. M. CLARKE.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT. 

